Bathtub toy



Nov. 28, 1961 N. H. sHAPlRo BATI-ITUB TOY Filed Oct. 14, 1959 FIGZ.

FIG. l.

NELSON H. SHAPIRO BY Sa/oifa a/zzzl ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,010,247 BATHTUB TOY Y Nelson H. Shapiro, 7003 22nd Place, Lewisdale, Hyattsville, Md. Filed oct. 14, 1959, ser. No. 846,282 13 Claims. (Cl. 46-41) This invention relates to a toy for use in a bathtub or the like, and more particularly to a bathtub toy driven by a water motor.

It is often dicult to induce a young child .to take a bath, lbut frequently it is as diiiicult to induce the child to leave the bathtub after a bath. Once the bath water has drained, however, there is usually little problem in inducing the child to leave the tub. The present invention operates when the bath water is draining from the tub, and thus serves as an inducement to terminate the bath.

It is accordingly a principal object of the invention to provide a unique bathtub toy.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bathtub toy which is motivated by the bath water contained within the tub.

A further object of the invention is to provide an animated toy which is simple in construction, and which operates without batteries or other burdensome auxiliaries.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a bathtub toy of the foregoing type that is readily adaptable to use with different types of -bathtub drains.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a bathtub toy with aerial animating devices.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a bathtub toy with animating devices which iioat on the water in the tub.

Briefly stated, the present invention concerns a toy comprising a small water driven motor which is adapted to be coupled to the drain of the bathtub and which is motivated by Waterdraining from the tub. The motor drives animating devices which move as -the water drains.

The foregoing and other objects, advantages, and features of the invention and the manner in which the same are accomplished will become fore readily apparent upon consideration of Ithe -following detailed Idescription of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate preferred and exemplary embodiments of the invention, and wherein:

FIGURE l is a side elevation view of one form of the invention shown in its operative placement in a bathtub; i

FIGURE 2 isV a view similar to FIGURE 1 of a modiiied form of the invention;

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal sectional view of a water motor employed in the invention;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along line V4 4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a horizontal sectional view of a modified form of motor construction;

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of a modification of the animating devices of the invention;

FIGURE 7 is an elevation view of the construction of FIGURE 6; and

FIGURE 8 is an elevation view of still another form of animating device of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGURE l thereof, the toy of the invention is generally designated by reference numeral 10 and comprises a water motor 12 and an animating device 14. In the form shown in FIGURE 1 the water motor has a vertical output shaft 16 and a coupling 18 adapting the water motor for connection to the drain 20 of a bathtub 22 and serving to support the toy in an upright position. As shown in 3,010,247 Patented Nov. 2S, 1961 ICC FIGURES 3 and 4, the water motor comprises a small turbine having a rotor 24 with curved blades 26 and a stator 28 provided with fixed vanes 30 which complement the rotor blades. The stator vanes are mounted between annular rings 31 which are fixed to and surround a rotor housing having a top wall in the form of a disk 32 and a bottom wall in the form of a disk 34 (see FIG. 4). The blades 26 of the rotor depend from a disk 36 provided with a hub 38 xed to one end of the output shaft 16. The output shaft passes through a bearing and seal 40 which supports the shaft and prevents substantial axial movement thereof. The bottom wall 34 of the turbine housing is formed integrally with an internally contoured hollow plug 42 provided with an external resilient washer 44. The plug and washer constitute the coupling 18.

Referring again to FIGURE 1, the animating device 14 comprises crossed booms 46 rixed to the end of shaft 16 and pivotally suspending arms 4S attached to articles such as miniature aircraft 50. The aircraft are suspended above the surface 52 of the water in the tub.

In the use of the invention, the drain plug is removed and the coupling device 1S is plugged into the drain 20 of the tub, which has previously been lled with water. The water passes through the inlet openings between the fixed varies 30 and is directed by the varies to strike the blades 26 of the rotor, causing the rotor to turn. The inclination of the rotor blades and iixed vanes is chosen so as to take advantage of the natural coriolis effect which occurs when water drains from the tub. After striking the blades 26 of the rotor, the water passes through the hollow plug 42 into the drain 20. The movement of the water through the turbine causes the rotor 24 and the output shaft 16 to turn. This movement is imparted to the model aircraft 50, which move in a circular path about the axis of the output shaft. The speed of the aircraft is a function of the head of water within the tub, and although the aircraft will move more slowly as the head drops, substantial movement is obtained until the water is almost completely drained from the tub. Maximum advantage of the water head is obtained by placing the inlet openings of the turbine as close as possible to the bottom of the tub. Y

FIGURE 2 illustrates a modified form of the invention. In this form the motor 54 is offset from the drain 20, rather than concentric therewith as in FIGURE 1, to provide greater room for movement of the animating device of the invention, and comprises a rotor 54A with blades 54B mounted for rotation in a square housing 54C. The housing has water inlet pipes 54D located at the corners and oriented to direct streams of water against the blades and cause the rotor to rotate. The Water outlet 5S is taken from the side of -the turbine housing asA shown in FIGURE 5, and a conduit 56 extends from the turbine to the drain opening. Moreover, in this modified form of the invention, the coupling device comprises a iiexible seal 58, rather than a hollow plug. The iiexible seal has a central opening 59 communicating with conduit 56 and may be in the form of a rubber or plastic disk or cup. It will accommodate a wide variety of drain types. The plug 42 previously described may be made to accommodate different drain sizes by changing the washer 44, but if the drain has a plunger type valve for closing the drain opening, the seal construction of FIGURE 2 is preferable. In the embodiment of FIGURE 1 the coupling 18 serves to support the toy as well as to couple the motor to the drain opening, but the toy of FIGURE 2 is supported by the bottom of the motor housing, the conduit S6, and the seal 58. Small suction cups may be added .to assist in mounting the toy on the bottom of the tub.

'I'he embodiment of FIGURE 2 also illustrates a moditied form of animating device. In this form the upper part or the output shaft 60 is rectangular and receives a collar 62 having a `complementary rectangular opening through which the shaft passes. The collar is adapted to reciprocate on shaft 60, yand the shaft may be provided with a stop 64 at its upperend to prevent removal of the collar. Arms 66 extend radially and downwardly from thecollar and are attached to buoyant articles 68, which take theform of hollow ducks as shown. Buoyancy of the ducks is made great enough to support the arms 66 as Well as the collar 62, and the entire assembly oats on the `surface 52 of the water. It will be apparent that Ias the water drains from the tub, the shaft 60 turns and drives the assembly of ducks 68 in a circular path. As the water level falls, the ducks also drop, as indicated yby the dash line showing of FIGURE 2.

FIGURES 6' and 7 illustrate another form of animation in accordance with the invention. In this form a collar 7) like the collar 62 of FIGURE 2 reciprocates on the rectangular upper portion of Ithe shaft 60, and the collar has radial arms 72 to which miniature boats 74 are pivotally attached as at 76. The boats oat on the surface of the water as shown in FIGURE 7, and the action of the boats is much like that of Ithe ducks in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 8 illustrates still another form of animation. In this form the turbine output shaft 78 has a collar 80 which may be fixed thereto and which has radial arms 82 extending therefrom. An aquatic figure 84 on water skis 86 or the like may be tethered to each of the arms as by a wire 88. When the shaft 78 turns, the Wire becomes taut and the tigures 84 move in a circular path about the shaft. The angle yof the wire 88 with respect tothe horizontal plane will of course change with the waterjlevel.

From the foregoing description, it is apparent that the invention provides unique bathtub toys. The'invention is simple in construction and can be manufactured by well known plastic molding techniques. While preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes can be made without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims.V For example, the vertical output shaft of the water motor could be enclosed in a housing, or the rotation about a vertical axis could be converted to rotation about a horizontal axis (to drive a Windv mill, for example) by gearing a horizontal shaft to the vertical shaft. Other types of water motors and animating devices may be employed, and the modified corresponding parts of the different embodiments may be interchanged. Accordingly, the foregoing embodiments are to be considered illustrative rather than restrictive of the invention, `and those modifications which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be included therein.

The invention claimed is:

1. A portable toy for use in a bathtub or the like having a gravity drain adjacent its bottom, said toy, being of a size to be readily accommodated in said tub and being readily separable therefrom, said toy comprising the unitary combination of a water motor and an animation device, said water motor having inlet means for re ceiving water contained in the tub and having outletV means for exhausting water'to the drain of said tub, said outlet means being constructed and adapted for releasable sealing engagement with said drain, whereby the motor is driven 'by Water draining from said tub, said animation device bein-g connected to said motor and being driven thereby to form an animated display.

2. The toy of claim 1, said water motor comprising a turbine.

3; The toy of claim 1, said water motor being concentric with the drain of said tub.

l 4. The toy of claim 1, said water motor being offset from the drain in said tub and being connected thereto by a conduit.

5. The toy of claim 1', said outlet means comprising a hollow plug inserted in the drain opening.

6. The toy of claim 5, said plug having an external removable washer, whereby said plug may beV accom modated to diierent size drain openings by changing said washer. Y i

7. The toy of claim 1, said outlet means comprising a flexible seal surrounding the opening'of said drain.

8. A toy for use in a bathtub or the like having a gravity drain adjacent its bottom comprising a water motor, said water motor having inlet means for receiving Water contained in said tub and having outlet means for exhausting water to the drain of said tub, whereby the motor is driven by water draining from said tub, and an yanimation device driven by said water motor to form an animated display, said motor having a vertical output shaft, and said animation device being connected to said shaft.

9. The toy of claim 8, said animationdevice comprising a plurality of articles attached lto arms extending from said shaft.

10. The toy of claim 8, said animation device comprising at least one model aircraft.

l1. The toy of claim 8, said animation device comprising a buoyant article adapted to float on the water in said tub.

12. The toy of claim 8, said -animation device comprising an article attached to a member arranged to reciprocate along said shaft.

V 13. A toy for use in a lbathtub or the like, comprising a water motor having means for mounting it in said tub and having a vertical output'shaft, and a buoyant animation device connected to said shaft and ladapted to oat on the water in said tub.

References Cited inthe tile of this patent VUNITED STATES PATENTS 

